MTPS

Description

The new interoperable system consists in an ECM BL3 System from the MTPS® family. These components share the task of energising and reading the Eurobalise transponders.

In the maximum configuration the system can achieve ATP / ATC functionality for:

• ETCS levels 1 and 2
• SCMT
• SSC
• INDUSI (PZB)
• ZUB

This architecture makes it possible to achieve three main and important results with respect to equipment previously installed as independent functional units on vehicles that operate across borders of countries equipped with the above mentioned systems:

• It uses a single Eurobalise reading unit for ETCS and SCMT systems.
• It drastically reduces the space occupied on board compared to systems installed separately.
• It executes the transition from one signalling system to another automatically and is transparent to the driver of the train and only requires acknowledgement.

It was first used on the Multisistema high power universal locomotive belonging to the VECTRON® platform.

For ECM's part, the system hardware belongs to the MTPS® platform currently being tested as a generic product at the Italian Rail Agency (ANSF), which makes it possible to create SSC and SCMT functions separately or as a combination depending on the specific applications.

The reduction in the number of components by means of sharing the interfaces with the trackside signalling equipment, driver, onboard safety logic and transmission of non-vital information between the train and trackside allows a huge deduction in the management costs for the system.

Reduced operating costs and maximising the asset value mean a reduction in the life cycle costs for the train.

As far as special technical features of the product are concerned, particular attention was paid to energy saving by implementing advanced technology, such as the state-of-the-art CPU derived from the latest generation of handheld devices or smart phones, and the reduction in size and volume to allow easy installation and accessibility.

Hardware

The main components of the MTPS hardware are:

1. KERNEL, the central processor arranged in a two-out-of-two architecture compliant with SIL4 CENELEC standard, performs the remote control functions with the trackside and onboard units.

2. Human-Machine Interface (HMI), this constitutes the interface between the driver and the on-board equipment.

3. Receiving antenna and SSC decoding system, capable of reading information originating from the microwave antenna at the information points along the track.

4. Other subsystems that carry out important functions in the context of BL3 are:

• Automatic block and coded track circuit receiver system.
• Radio Equipment for track-train communication, providing information to the train driver;
• Juridical Event Recorder.
• Specific interfaces for remote control functions between the SSB BL3 system and the train.

MTPS®-BL3

Trainguard 200®